M.D. Anderson declines to meet with academic investigators

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center's top leaders declined to meet Thursday or Friday with representatives sent by the nation's union of professors to investigate a tenure dispute that could land the elite Houston research hospital on the organization's censure list.

The decision followed an exchange of letters in which M.D. Anderson's chief of staff questioned the American Association of University Professors' standing and ability to conduct an impartial investigation. The group, founded in 1915, represents faculty against perceived attacks on academic freedom and tenure.

"We will not personally meet with representatives of a non-governing entity conducting an unauthorized investigation with a pre-determined outcome," Dr. Ron DePinho, president of M.D. Anderson, and his executive-level team wrote faculty and staff Wednesday.

The AAUP announced in July it would investigate M.D. Anderson, a component of the University of Texas System, after a center faculty member asked the association to look into the dismissal of two longtime professors under a hospital policy that doesn't grant lifetime tenure. Instead, the hospital requires that term appointments be renewed every seven years. The AAUP's investigation concerns both the dismissal of the two professors and M.D. Anderson's lack of a tenure system.

Dan Fontaine, M.D. Anderson's chief of staff, Tuesday wrote the AAUP informing it of the administration's decision not to meet with the investigatory panel. He also wrote that the administration would respond to written questions as long as they hadn't previously answered them and the questions don't pertain to personnel matters that may be subject to legal processes.

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Debra Nails, a Michigan State University professor of philosophy and chairwoman of the AAUP investigatory panel, declined comment after the on-site visit, citing AAUP policy.

Gregory Scholtz, the AAUP's director of academic freedom, tenure and governance, downplayed M.D. Anderson's leaders' decision not to meet with the investigatory team, saying he considered it favorable that they are willing to respond in writing. He noted many institutions choose not to participate at all.

The four-member AAUP panel did speak by phone with two top UT System officials: Ray Greenberg, executive vice chancellor for health affairs, and Dan Sharphorn, general counsel and vice chancellor.

Uncommon policy

M.D. Anderson's term appointment system is uncommon but not unprecedented in academic medicine. M.D. Anderson leaders contend the system has served the institution and Texas citizens well for almost 40 years and that every faculty member is made fully aware of the policy.

The leadership's letter to faculty and staff did not mince words, claiming that the AAUP admitted it lacked authority to investigate M.D. Anderson and that "it did not intend to conduct its investigation in accordance with well-recognized standards of a fair investigation." It called the AAUP "a relatively small special interest group" and said the investigation was an attempt to generate adverse publicity about M.D. Anderson because the institution insists on accountability.

No intention to change

The letter said leaders chose to allow the AAUP on campus because they believe in "open expression of ideas and academic freedom" and are not concerned about anything the organization might investigate.

The letter added that M.D. Anderson does not intend to change its term appointment system and that the AAUP's censure list "has never been shown to affect a university's ability to obtain grants or recruit outstanding faculty."

Scholtz said he expects the panel's report to be completed sometime in the fall and published online in early 2015. Before final submission to the AAUP, it will be shared with M.D. Anderson's administration for feedback and corrections of fact, said Scholtz.